Press molded door with improved reinforcement material and stile structure

ABSTRACT

A press-molded door including a reinforcing structure having a plurality of hollow vertical stiffeners joined by a horizontal web, two of the stiffeners arranged on opposite edges of the reinforcing structure with a groove formed in an edge face thereof, a T-shaped stile arranged in each edge stiffener with a tongue that fits into the groove, and front and back panels arranged on opposite sides of the reinforcing structure.

[0001] This application is a division of non-provisional applicationSer. No. 09/390,774 filed Sep. 7, 1999.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] This invention relates to a stile structure and interiorreinforcement for a press molded door, and, more particularly, to apress molded door with an improved reinforcing material and stilestructure.

[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0005] Taiwan Utility Model application No. 84204994, entitled “AnImprovement For The Assembly Structure Of Pressed-Molded Door”, wasapplied for and granted prior to this invention. However, the subjectmatter of that patent suffers from drawbacks in connection with thegluing process, material used, assembly time, and size flexibility. Thisinvention is intended to solve those problems and improve the ease ofassembly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] This invention relates to a press molded door with an improvedreinforcing and stile structure comprising two door panels, top, bottom,left and right structural members, and an interior reinforced material.The invention is characterized by the structure of the co-extruded,interior reinforcement which is rigid in one plane and flexible inanother plane. The above mentioned interior reinforcement is made withthe door panel, together, by a single mold that can reduce the assemblytime, enhance the strength of door, and enhance the quality. The abovementioned reinforcement is recessed near the handle to form a closedspace with two top and bottom structural members. Finally, an imitationwood grain finish is added to the door.

[0007] The above mentioned left and right structural members of thispress molded door have a groove into which T-shaped left and rightstiles are inserted via a compression-fit. The top and bottom structuralmembers are combined with the two door panels to form a closed space.After that, a hole is drilled in the bottom structural member forfilling the inside with polyurethane to make an imitation wood graindoor.

[0008] Moreover, the press-molded door of this invention can be made todifferent widths according to customers' needs, by cutting two sides ofthe door. Furthermore, doors with various widths can be produced byarranging the left and right stiles at different widths.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] The following are illustrative drawing examples of the invention.

[0010]FIG. 1 is a horizontal section view of the interior reinforcingmaterial;

[0011]FIG. 2 is a perspective drawing of the reinforcing material;

[0012]FIG. 3 is a perspective drawing of a first embodiment of left andright stiles (type 1 );

[0013]FIG. 4 is a perspective drawing of a second embodiment of left andright stiles (type 2);

[0014]FIGS. 5A and 5B show the first embodiment left and right stiles(type 1), door panel, and interior reinforced material before and afterassembly;

[0015]FIGS. 6A and 6B show the second embodiment left and right stiles(type 2), door panel and interior reinforced material before and afterassembly;

[0016]FIG. 7 shows a first embodiment of the door assembly drawing (typeA) with matching door panels;

[0017]FIG. 8 shows a second embodiment of the door assembly drawing(type B) with matching door panels;

[0018]FIG. 9 shows a third embodiment of the door assembly drawing (typeC) with matching door panels;

[0019]FIG. 10 is an exploded view of the door assembly shown in FIG. 8;

[0020]FIG. 11 is an assembly view of a polyurethane-filled door;

[0021]FIG. 12 is an exploded view of the door as shown in FIG. 11; and

[0022] FIGS. 13A-13D show the left and right stiles, door panels, andleft and right reinforcing materials for a polyurethane-filled doorbefore and after the stiles are inserted into the reinforcing materials.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023]FIG. 1 is a section view of an extruded plastic interiorreinforcing material wherein the material used is PVC (polyvinylchloride) having two concave areas or grooves 13 of 2.2 mm width and 4.5mm depth on each of two sides thereof. The grooves are inserted with theribs 121, 121′ (in FIGS. 5, 6) on two sides of a door panel (FIGS. 7, 8,9). The right and left stiles 5, 5′ are fitted into grooves 13 with aflexible-rigid co-extrusion convex part or tongue 12, 12′ (as shown inFIGS. 3, 4). In addition, there is a hollow convex structure orstiffener 18 of reinforcing material to support the door panel 71, 81,91 (FIGS. 1, 7, 8, 9) and to provide strength at a certain distancealong the width of the door.

[0024]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an extruded plastic interiorreinforcement material 7 having an opening of 80 mm width and 400 mmlength cut in its side for receiving a handle 10 (as shown in FIGS. 7,8, 9). The hollow reinforcement convex structure 18 can be matched withvarious types of door panels 71, 81, 91 (FIGS. 7, 8, 9).

[0025]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a first embodiment (type 1) of theleft and right stiles 5, wherein a middle part of the stile's “T”-shapedappearance includes a tongue 12 having a lip 121 on both sides thereofthat will be tightly glued to the door panel 71, 81, 91 (FIGS. 7, 8, 9)and interior reinforcement material (FIGS. 7, 8, 9) so as to form astile structure of 6 mm width.

[0026]FIG. 4 is the perspective view of a second embodiment of left andright stiles 5′ (type 2), wherein the middle part of the stile's “T”shaped appearance is a tongue 12′ having a lip 121′ at both sidesthereof that will be tightly glued to the door panel 71, 81, 91 (FIGS.7, 8, 9) and the interior material 10 (FIGS. 7, 8, 9), so as to form astile structure of 10 mm width.

[0027]FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional view (type 1 styles) before assemblyof left and right stiles 5 showing their location with respect to thedoor panel 71, 81, 91, ribs 17, and the interior reinforced material.The concave part 13 of the interior reinforced material is designed tobe tightly glued with the tongue 12 of the left and right stiles 5. FIG.5B shows the relative positions of the door panels 71, 81, 91, and theinterior reinforced material 7 after assembly.

[0028]FIG. 6A shows the relative positions of the door panel 71, 81, 91having ribs 17, the interior reinforced material 7 in the secondembodiment of the left and right stiles 5′ before assembly. The concavepart 13 of the interior reinforced material is designed to be tightlyglued with the flexible-rigid co-extrusion convex part of the left andright stiles 5′. FIG. 6B shows the relative positions of the door panels71, 81, 91 and the interior reinforced material 7 after assembly.

[0029]FIG. 7 shows the relative positions of a first embodiment of adoor assembly drawing (type A) matching with a door panel. The assemblysteps for this embodiment are as follows:

[0030] (1) Assemble the interior of door panel 71 having ribs 17 (FIGS.5, 6);

[0031] (2) Apply glue to every connected area;

[0032] (3) Put the interior reinforced material 7, handle reinforcement10 and the top and bottom structural members 8, 9 on the door panel;

[0033] (4) Apply glue to the required areas of another door panel;

[0034] (5) Affix the left and right stiles inside two door panels 5, 5′;

[0035] (6) Wait for the glue to dry and finish the assembling steps.

[0036] The top and bottom structural members 8, 9 could be wood, plasticinjection moldings, or extrusion moldings.

[0037]FIG. 8 shows the relative positions for a second embodiment of thedoor assembly (type B) being matched with another door panel. Theassembly steps are as follows:

[0038] (1) Assemble the interior of door panel 81 having ribs 17 (FIGS.5, 6) on two sides;

[0039] (2) Apply glue to every connected area;

[0040] (3) Put the interior reinforced material 7, handle reinforcement10, and the top and bottom structural members 8, 9 on the door panel;

[0041] (4) Apply glue to the required areas of another door panel;

[0042] (5) Affix the left and right stiles 5, 5′ inside two door panels71, 81, 91;

[0043] (6) Wait for the glue to dry and finish the assembling process.

[0044] The top and bottom structural members 8, 9 could be wood, plasticinjection moldings, or extrusion moldings.

[0045]FIG. 9 shows the relative positions of a third embodiment of adoor assembly (type C) being matched with another door panel. Theassembly steps are as follows:

[0046] (1) Assemble the interior of door panel 81 having ribs 17 (FIGS.5, 6) on two sides;

[0047] (2) Apply glue to every connected area;

[0048] (3) Put the interior reinforced material 7, handle reinforcement10, and the top and bottom structural members 8, 9 on the door panel;

[0049] (4) Apply glue to the required areas of another door panel;

[0050] (5) Affix the left and right stiles 5, 5′ inside two door panels71, 81, 91;

[0051] (6) Wait for the glue to dry and finish the assembling process.

[0052] The top and bottom structural members 8, 9 could be wood, plasticinjection moldings, or extrusion moldings.

[0053]FIG. 10 is an exploded isometric view of the door construction ofFIGS. 7-9. In this embodiment, the extruded plastic interior reinforcedmaterial 7 acts as the primary body structure of the door. The door iscovered with door panels 71, 81, 91 having ribs on two sides thereof.Reference numerals 5, 5′ are T-shaped portions of the left and rightstiles. Reference numerals 8, 9 are top and bottom structural memberswhich create a closed space with the left and right stiles 5, 5′.

[0054]FIG. 11 is an assembly drawing showing the filling of polyurethaneinto the door. The steps are as follows:

[0055] (1) Assemble the interior of door panel 71, 81, 91 having ribs attwo sides;

[0056] (2) Apply glue to every connected area;

[0057] (3) Put the left and right reinforced structural members 14having groove shape at sides, handle reinforcement 10 and the top andbottom structural members 8, 9 on the door panel;

[0058] (4) Apply glue to the required areas of another door panel;

[0059] (5) Affix the left and right stiles 5, 5′ inside two door panels71, 81, 91;

[0060] (6) Wait for the glue to dry and finish the assembling process;

[0061] (7) Drill a hole in the bottom stile and fill the door withpolyurethane.

[0062]FIG. 12 is an exploded isometric drawing of the door filled withpolyurethane. The polyurethane 15, and the left and right reinforcedstructural members 14 having a groove shape on each side thereof,constitute the primary body structure of the door. The handlereinforcement 10 is a rectangular solid that is covered with door panels71, 81 and 91. The T-shaped portions of the left and right stiles 5, 5′,and the top and bottom structural members 8, 9, form a closed space.

[0063] FIGS. 13A-13D show the relative positions among the variousembodiments with filled polyurethane 15 filling. The left and rightreinforced structural members 14 has a 3.6 mm width and a 12 mm depth.The door panels 71, 81, 91 have ribs on both sides thereof, and the leftand right stiles 5, 5′ have a tongue 12, 12′.

[0064] The embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 13A-13D includes:

[0065] (1) two door panels 71, 81, 91 having ribs on both sides;

[0066] (2) an extruded plastic interior reinforced material 7;

[0067] (3) two extruded plastic left and right stiles 5, 5′ which can be6 mm or 10 mm width, as required;

[0068] (4) two top and bottom structural members 8, 9; and

[0069] (5) a handle reinforcement 10.

[0070] The extruded plastic interior material 7 supports door panels 71,81, 91 having ribs on both sides that are glued and fixed together witheach other.

[0071] Since the reinforcing material is rigid PVC, there are convexhollow structures appropriately spaced in support of door panels. Thissingle molded structure can reinforce the door strength, facilitate theassembling process, reduce product defects, and reduce inefficienciescaused by the reinforced materials being scattered and assembledindividually, thus causing a waste of time and cost, and lack ofstrength.

[0072] The left and right stiles 5, 5′ are made of PVC usingco-extrusion techniques during which the tongues 12, 12′ are inserted inthe grooves 13 of the left and right structural members 14 to create astrong construction without gluing. Further, the rigid PVC is easy tomodify and therefore can be used to meet special requirements for thedoor or frame by changing dimensions to prevent the defects caused byoverflowing glue in conventional structures and difficult partialmodification.

[0073] The door panels 71, 81, 91 each have curved end portions 101, andeach of the left and right structural members 14 including a pair ofrecessed 20 portions 141 that receive a respective one of the curved endportions 101 of the door panels 71, 81, 91, as shown in FIGS. 13A and13C. The curved end portions 101 are substantially perpendicular to thetongues 12, 12′ of the T-shaped left and right stiles 5, 5′.

[0074] Another model of this invention is that the left and rightreinforced structural members 14 have groove shapes that are joinedtogether with the convex parts of the left and right stiles 5, 5′. Theyare then matched with the top and bottom stiles and two door panels toform a closed space. After that, a hole is drilled in the bottom stilefor filling the inner part with polyurethane and forming an imitationwood texture door.

[0075] This invention can be made with different dimensions of doorwidth as required. The manufacturing method uses an extruded plasticinterior reinforced material 7 with top and bottom structural membersand two door panels forming a closed space. The door may be cut to therequire width after gluing together. A groove is then cut on both sidesto receive left and right stiles that are inserted in the reinforcingstructure and fitted with an imitation wood grain door.

[0076] For the preceding method, the extruded plastic interiorreinforcing material can be replaced by polyurethane filling to increasethe flexibility and provide for multiple patterns.

[0077] Generally, the raw material of door can be either thermosets orthermoplastics. During the manufacturing process with thermosets, an FRP(fiber reinforced plastic) additive is not required. The door can alsobe recycled for other purposes to fulfill the requirement ofenvironmental protection. By adding Al (OH)₃ during the compounding, itcan be fireproofed for safety. If this door replaces a wooden door, itcan reduce wood consumption in a large amount, and thus protect theprecious resource of forests.

[0078] In summary, this creation can save many manufacturing steps,simplify assembling procedures, and reduce manpower cost. This doorstructure is also easily cuttable and moisture-proof to prevent doorbending. Therefore, the inventive door is useful, economic and creative,and can promote product quality, and as a result, is novel andnon-obvious.

[0079] Although preferred embodiments have been disclosed, otherembodiments and modifications of the invention are intended to becovered by the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:
 1. A press-molded door comprising: a reinforcing structure thatis flexible about a vertical axis and substantially rigid about ahorizontal axis; front and back panels arranged on opposite sides of thereinforcing structure; and at least one stile arranged on an edge of thereinforcing structure.
 2. The press-molded door recited in claim 1wherein said reinforcing structure and door panels are simultaneouslypressed in the same mold.
 3. The press-molded door recited in claim 1wherein said reinforcing structure includes a plurality of convex hollowstiffeners extending vertically on a web.
 4. The press-molded doorrecited in claim 1, further comprising a handle reinforcement secured toa recess in the reinforcing structure.
 5. The press-molded door recitedin claim 4 wherein said handle reinforcement includes a rectangularsolid material.
 6. The press-molded door recited in claim 3 wherein oneof said stiffeners is an edge stiffener arranged on the edge of thereinforcing structure and includes a groove for receiving a tongueextending from the stile.
 7. The press-molded door recited in claim 6wherein the stile is T-shaped with a top lip formed at each edge of acap of the T.
 8. The press-molded door recited in claim 7 wherein atleast one of the front and back panels includes an edge lip arrangedbetween the side stiffener and the top lip of the T-shaped stile.
 9. Thepress-molded door recited in claim 1 further comprising additionalstiles for enclosing all edges of the reinforcing structure.
 10. Apress-molded door, comprising: a reinforcing structure having aplurality of hollow vertical stiffeners joined by a horizontal web; twoof the stiffeners arranged on opposite edges of the reinforcingstructure; each of the two edge stiffeners having a groove formed in anedge face thereof; a T-shaped stile arranged in each edge stiffener,each stile having a tongue that fits into the groove; and front and backpanels arranged on opposite sides of the reinforcing structure.
 11. Thepress-molded door recited in claim 10 wherein each panel includes anedge lip that extends under the stile when the tongue is positioned inthe groove.
 12. The press-molded door recited in claim 11 wherein eachof the stiles includes a top lip on each edge of a top of the t-shapedstile, said top lips engaging corresponding edge lips on the panels. 13.The press-molded door recited in claim 11 wherein said reinforcing 25structure and door panels are simultaneously pressed in the same mold.